Loom shuttle



oct. 7, 1941. G, LEPAGE r2,257,968

I L00M SHUTTLE Filed Sept. 18, 194C Patented Get. 7, 1941 S PT El torri-cs LOGM SHUTTLE Germain Lepage, Fall River, Mass. Application September 18, 1940, SerialNo. 357,233

v (o1. 13e-223) Claims.

This invention relates to shuttles of vthe automatic threading type for use in automatic weft replenishing looms. j

It is a principal object of the invention to improve threading devices of this character, and to devise means for preventing the iilling from becoming broken as occurs when loops of lling are caught or snarled on shuttle projections. rIhe invention also aims to facilitate threading up and to control looping or ballooning action of the lling so that it may not become unthreaded during the operation of the shuttle.

The nature of the invention and its objects will be more fully understood frornthe following description of the drawing and discussion relating thereto.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a shuttle having improved threading means of the invention mounted therein.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. y

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken one the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross section taken on they line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

In the construction shown, l indicates a shuttle body of the automatic threading type, having a chamber 2 in which is releasably supported a bobbin 3 by means usually employed in shuttles of this type. The shuttle body is recessed as at 2a, to receive a threading block- 4. `This block includes a base and sides 4a and 4b, projecting upwardly on either side of a thread passage 5. The thread passage extends from a throaty 5a longitudinally of the shuttle body, in axial alinernent with the bobbin 3, to a point approximately adjacent the shuttle eye passage lo. The block is further formed with a nose piece 6 which extends laterally from the side 4a across and above a groove 'I formed at the front end of the shuttle body. The opposite side, 4o, is also formed with a thread guiding surface 'la which also extendslaterally across the groove 1 and overlies the nose piece 6.

In the usual threading operation, the lling is drawn from the bobbin 3, guided through the thread passage 5, around the nose piece 6, and out through a shuttle eye 'lc disposed along the side of the shuttle body. During operation of the shuttle the thread or lling may escape from the thread passage in the threading block, due to the occurrence of swirling or looping of the thread as it unwinds from the bobbin, or from a tendency of the lling to kink or twist while in a adjacent the throat 5a. It is also preferable' for slackened state, or for other reasons. To overcome difiiculty thus encountered, various guards, hooks, and similar devices have been proposed and incorporated in threading blocks.. All of such devices, successful in holding the iilling, are of a pointed nature and have projections upon which loops or balloons of nlling become caught and broken, interrupting the operation of the loom.

According to thefpresent invention, I provide a novel guard construction which eliminates the possibility kof loops ofY iilling becoming caught and broken, and which prevents escape -of .the thread from ballooning-or looping, whether such action starts at the shuttle chamber or its* outer end. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the guard, denoted bynumeral 8, is formed integrally with the threading block ll.V The side ib of the block 4 isrecessed at 9 to form a shelf li! and the guard member .e'xtendsrfrom the top of the side wall 4a laterallyr across the'thread passage 5 anddownwardly'int'o overlapping relation with the shelf lil, as may be lmore readily observed" from an inspection of Figs. 2 and 3. The guard consists of a relatively thin plate portion chiefly'characterized by an elongated edge il which overlies the side wall 4b', above the shelf It, and extends longitudinally above a greater part ofthe thread passage. Preferably, the elongated edge H will. be of a length such that it extends throughout that part of the longitudinal length of the shuttle included between the front end of thread passage 5, or approximately at a point adjacent the shuttle eye passage, and the throatY 5a. The edge il may taper inwardly toward the axis of the bobbin 3 as it approaches the throat 5a,which thereby provides a relatively wider guard portion facing the front end of the shuttle, anda flat side gradually receding to a relatively narrower guard portion the plate portion toy be angularly disposed with respect to the shuttle body and to present a sloping upper side. Aguard construction in which `the front end exceeds the rear end by one-eighth lmeasured in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle, for best results.

An important. feature of the invention resides in the shape of the guard as above described. In the operation of the shuttle, the lling, due to ,being in a slack state, or for other reasons, may

take the form of a series of loops which are of a generally determinable size from being limited by parts of the shuttle body. The filling from rapid unwinding and other causes, may also swirl or balloon in a definite determinable path. This path is of approximately circular cross section and tapers inwardly as it extends forwardly of the thread passage.

The guard of the invention embodies a size of thread trapping element which in one dimension exceeds the diameter of the coils usually resulting from looping action, and thereby effectually prevents loops of lling from becoming thrown around itself and snarled or broken. Specifically, the elongated edge I I, making up the dimensional part referred to, extends longitudinally of the shuttle throughout a distance greater than that which can be encompassed by loops of lling, moving in a direction longitudinally of the thread passage and as limited by the shuttle body. In addition, release of the filling from the thread passage, due to swirling or ballooning, is overcome. Since the guard and edge I I overlie a substantial part of the thread passage in which ballooning must occur, the lling at the point where its path of swirling tapers inwardly will necessarily strike against the edge II and be thrown back, carrying the rest of the balloon with it. Thus the lling is prevented from passing out from under and around the guard, as is necessary for it to escape from the threading groove, regardless of the point where the greatest cross section of the path of ballooning may occur. In

connection with prevention of escape of the t thread from ballooning or swirling, it should be noted that the shelf cooperates with the angularly disposed guard 8, and in particular with that part of the guard which overlies the shelf, to further intersect the swirls or balloons at some point and tend to cause them to fall away before they reach the guard edge II.

A further feature of the invention consists in the combination, with the elongated edge Il, of thread trapping means located at the ends of the guard member for preventing escape of lling moving, in either direction, longitudinally of the shuttle. Numeral I4 denotes a thread trapping notch formed in the rearward end of the guard 8, as shown in Fig. 1. The notch consists of a lightly curved edge, which is continuous with the edge I I previously referred to, and forms a rounded head I5, thereby avoiding a pointed projection such as might allow loops of filling to become caught or snarled. The recess formed in the side wall 4b' of the shuttle block to provide shelf Iil curves outwardly and upwardly to form a thread trapping wall I6, which extends upwardly andby the head I5 in a direction at right angles to the axis of the bobbin 3.

By this arrangement, a loop of filling rst strikes against the thread trapping wall I6 and becomes thrown inwardly thereby, so that it contacts the sloping edge of the head I5 and slides into the notch I4, which efectually prevents movement of the loop around and by the head I5. It will be observed that the thread trapping wall, notch and rounded head l5 all combine to cooperate with the elongated edge II already described, in overcoming escape of filling either by ballooning or looping, and the notch when thus combined with the edge I I is provided without the occurrence of a projection of a character which might cause catching of loops of lling.

The front end of the guard 8 is similarly formed with a thread trapping notch I'I and a rounded head I8, while the side wall 4a is likewise recessed upwardly to form a thread trapping wall I9, which extends above and by the rounded head I8 in a direction at right angles' to the axis of the bobbin 3. The thread trapping wall I9 and notch II function in the manner already described in connection with the rear notch I4 with respect to filling moving toward the bobbin from the front of the shuttle. The notch I1 and thread trapping wall I9 similarly cooperate with the extended edge II to overcome looping and securely lock the filling in the thread passage. Thread trapping is further carried out by means of the thread guiding surface Ia which extends laterally across the groove 'I and overlies the nose piece 6.

The angular disposition of the guard plate cooperates with the notches and further serves to greatly prevent loops from passing forwardly of the guard, since the loops upon striking against the angular surface are inclined to drop downwardly away therefrom into the threading passage. This effect is even further developed by the receding character of the edge II, having particular reference to loops originating in the bobbin chamber and moving forwardly of the shuttle. The receding edge tends to quickly throw off loops starting at the throat 5a of the thread passage.

If desired, the guard construction may be embodied in a threading block for either a left or right wound bobbin, and the elongated edge II may be utilized separately of or in conjunction with any one of the other shuttle improvements as the front and rear notches, the tapered formation of the edge, thread trapping walls, and shelf. Also the guard features may be desired to be incorporated separately or in their entirety in a shuttle body, independently of a threading block of the character illustrated in the invention.

It will be seen that the guard is highly adapted to being formed as an integral part of a threading block and provides a simple, cheap and efficient construction which is very easily threaded up and which eifectually prevents escape of iilling from the thread passage, particularly at the time when the threading operation is only partly completed. A novel arrangement of shuttle parts and novel guard proportions is indicated which is particularly related to the proportions of filling when in a looped or ballooned state, whereby breaking or snarling is effectually prevented.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be resorted to in keeping with the spirit of the invention.

Having describedmy invention, I claim:

1. A loom shuttle comprising a shuttle body having a bobbin supported in a chamber therein, a threading block formed with a longitudinally extending thread passage in alinement with the said chamber, said shuttle body provided with a thread delivery eye and a thread guiding slot communicating with the eye and said thread passage, said threading block having one of the sides which form the thread passage provided with a forward thread trapping wall located at a point adjacent the front end of the thread passage, said side wall also provided with a rear thread trapping wall located at a point adjacent the throat of the thread passage, the said side wall being recessed between the front and rear thread trapping walls to form a shelf, the opposite side wall forming the thread passage being provided with a guard plate which extends downwardly and laterally from the top of the said wall to overlie the thread passage and the said end of the thread passage to a point adjacent shelf from a point adjacent and above the front its throat, the guard presenting an elongated edge which extends laterally beyond the thread passage a greater distance at its front end than at its rear end in a direction at right angles to the axis of the bobbin, said guard further having its front and rear edges formed with notches, the sides of the notches extending beyond the thread trapping walls in a direction at right angles to the axis of the bobbin and the sides of the notches being a continuation of the said elongated edge, thereby to avoid a pointed projection in the guard.

2. A loom shuttle comprising a shuttle body having a bobbin supported in a chamber therein, a threading block formed with a longitudinally extending thread passage in alinement with the said chamber, said shuttle body provided with a thread delivery eye and a thread guiding slot communicating with the eye and said thread passage, a guard member extending laterally across said thread passage from one wall thereof into overlapping relationship with the opposite wall and lying above the normal running position of the thread, said guard having a thread trapping notch at one side thereof, a thread trapping wall located in the shuttle body adjacent and overlying said notch for the purpose of guiding a loop of thread into the notch at a point adjacent the said eye slot, said guard member having a second thread trapping notch formed at an opposite side thereof, a second thread trapping wall in the shuttle body adjacent the said chamber extending upwardly and outwardly into overlapping relation with the said second notched portion of the guard, and said guard member presenting a continuous receding edge extending between the said front and rear thread trapping walls.

3. A loom shuttle comprising a shuttle body having a bobbin contained in a cavity therein, a threading block supported in said shuttle body and formed with a longitudinally extending thread passage connecting with the said cavity, thread deflecting surfaces formed at the front and rear ends of the threading block along one side thereof, an inclined guard member extending from the opposite side of the threading block laterally beyond and below the said thread deflecting surfaces and overlying the thread passage, said guard member having notches formed at front and rear edges thereof in alinement with the axis of the bobbin, those portions of the guard member adjacent the said notches being rounded to throw off loops of filling falling thereag'ainst, the said guard further presenting an elongated edge which is a continuation of the rounded portions of. the guard member, said elongated edge extending between the rounded portions a distance greater than the width of the guard measured in a direction at right angles to the axis of the shuttle thereby to prevent encirclement of the guard member by the said loops of filling.

ll. A loom shuttle comprising a shuttle body having a bobbin supported in a chamber therein, a threading block formed with a longitudinally extending thread passage in alinement with the said chamber, said shuttle body provided with a thread delivery eye and a thread guiding slot communicating with the eye and said thread passage, a guard member extending laterally across said thread passage from one wall thereof into overlapping relationship with the opposite wall and lying above the normal running position of the thread, said guard having a thread trapping notch at one side thereof, a thread trapping lwall located in the shuttle body adjacent and overlying said notch for the purpose of guiding a loop of thread into the notch at a point adjacent the said eye slot, said guard member having a second thread trapping notch formed at an opposite side thereof, a second thread trapping wall in the shuttle body adjacent the said chamber extending upwardly and outwardly into overlapping relation with the said second notched portion of the guard, said guard member presenting a continuous receding edge extending between the said front and rear thread trapping walls, and said guard-furtherl presenting a substantially inclined surface for passing deected loops of filling around and under the guard into the thread passage. 5. A loom shuttle comprising a shuttle body having a bobbin contained in a chamber therein, a threading block supported in the shuttle body, said threading block having a longitudinally extending thread passage connecting with the said chamber, a thread delivery eye in the shuttle body communicating with the thread passage, said threading block being formed with a rear throat portion, a thread deflecting surface forming a part of the rear throat portion, an inclined guard member extending laterally and downwardly across the thread passage to a point in back of the thread deflecting surface, said guard presenting an elongated edge which eX- tends beyond the thread passage a greater distance at its front end than at its rear end in a direction at right angles to the axis 0f the bobbin, and said guard member further having a notch formed therein adjacent the thread deflecting surface to trap loops of filling on the downwardly extending and receding side of the guard member.

GERMAIN LEPAGE. 

